1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates.in general to the communications field, and in particular to an interaction of an electronic reading.device with an address pattern.
2. Description of Related Art
Numerous devices exist for accepting user input and controlling user interaction with desktop and portable computers, personal digital assistance (PDAs), mobile phones, and other types of electronic devices. For example, a keyboard can be used to accept typed input and other types of commands, a mouse or a track-ball can be used to provide relative motion input as well as various types of point-and-click selections, a keypad can be used to provide input of numerical data and functional commands, navigational keys can be used for scrolling lists or otherwise repositioning a cursor, and various types of touchpads or touchscreens can be used to provide absolute positional coordinate inputs. Each type of mechanism for accepting input and for supporting user interaction has benefits and disadvantages in terms of size, convenience, flexibility, responsiveness, and easy of use. Generally, the selection of a particular type of input mechanism is dependent upon the function of the application and the degree and type of interaction required.
With the ever expanding capabilities and availability of applications both on the Internet and the area of wireless technology, there continues to be a need to develop and provide new mechanisms for accepting input and interacting with users. In particular, some of the existing technologies suffer from drawbacks or limitations, such as size and flexibility, that make them impractical and/or inconvenient to use in some situations. By expanding the range of mechanisms for supporting user interaction, application developers and end-users can have greater flexibility in the selection of input devices. Preferably, any such new mechanisms will provide increased flexibility and will maximize user convenience. In addition, the development of new mechanisms for interacting with users can expand the realm of potential applications.
For example, while a keyboard typically provides a great deal of flexibility, particularly when it is used in connection with a mouse, a touchscreen, or other navigational device, its size makes it inconvenient in many cases, especially in the wireless context.
The present invention comprises a method and system for operating an electronic reading device based user interface. The electronic reading device detects portions of an address pattern for use in identifying successive positions of the electronic reading device relative to the address pattern. Initially, data identifying a detected portion of the address pattern is sent to a client device. The client device uses the received data to locate an address of an application server that contains an application description for an area of the address pattern that includes the detected portion. A request for the application description is then sent to the application server, which responds by retrieving the application description and forwarding it to the client device. The client device uses the application description for processing subsequently detected successive positions on the address pattern.
In another aspect of the invention, the electronic reading device includes a sensor for detecting portions of the address pattern and a position buffer for storing data identifying the detected portions of the address pattern. A memory stores a grid description of a current address pattern area. Preferably, the grid description is included in the application description and is forwarded to the electronic reading device when the application description is received by the client device. A processor in the electronic reading device, using the grid description, determines a position for each successive portion of the address pattern stored in the position buffer. The positions are then used to generate strokes, which are further processed to initiate actions corresponding to the generated strokes. These actions can be sent to the client device for further processing in accordance with the current application description.
In yet another aspect of the invention, the system also includes a name server for use in identifying an address of an application server associated with a detected position, a base translator for performing generic translations of information entered with the electronic reading device, and a control node for processing detected positions in a standardized way and/or for use in real-time control applications.
In another aspect of the invention, the electronic reading device can be used in connection with a separate electronic device for configuring the electronic reading device or for interacting with an application. For instance, configuration data for the electronic reading device can be sent to the separate electronic device, and an MMI for the separate electronic device can be used to select desired options in the configuration data. Similarly, when the electronic reading device detects a portion of an address pattern associated with a particular application, application data can be sent to the separate electronic device where the data is displayed on a display screen. The user can then make a selection relating to the application either using an MMI for the separate electronic device or by using the electronic reading device on an appropriate field on the address pattern.